Post Christmas Extravaganza
by DryadSpeaks
Summary: Spinoff of All My Dreams Chapter 75 and The Smile on Your Face Chapter 59.  It's the day after Christmas, and Quinn and Artie are having a little holiday get together for a couple of friends.  Rachel, Martin, and AJ are present, as is the norm.


"Dude, Christmas is over. Why are you wearing that?"

Artie grinned, passing AJ a plate of sliced up fruit he and Quinn had prepared. "Well, this is sort of like a Christmas party, so I thought it would still be fine. Why, don't you like it?"

AJ shrugged. "Whatever, it's your manhood that might be called into question. I'm just saying that I wouldn't be caught dead in a sweater with little elves all over it, especially since Christmas is over."

"Oh, so if Christmas wasn't over you'd wear this?" Artie asked, trying to hold back his laughter. "I think you should try it. It matches your eyes."

AJ stared at his friend for a second, trying to decide if he was serious. "I know what you want. You want me to get stuck in that thing and have to wear it around all day. You know I'm way fatter than you, and have a way bigger head. If I get that on, it will probably not come off naturally. I'm going to have to find a hot girl to tear it off. Where's Quinn?"

"She went to get a couple of things at the store," Artie said, deciding to just ignore AJ's reference to having Quinn tear something off his body. "She should be back any minute. Where's Martin?"

AJ shrugged. "He said he and Rachel had a couple of things to do before they could come, but they should be here soon. Hey, thanks again for letting us have this party at your place."

"Oh, no problem," Artie said, "I don't mind it when we have stuff here."

"But it feels like we always do," AJ said, rearranging a stack of plates for the fifth time since he'd arrived. "and I just didn't want you to think we're taking advantage of your house."

Artie laughed. "Yes, AJ, I think you're taking advantage of my house. That's it. You've found me out."

AJ grinned. "Plus, if we have anything at my house, we're going to have to carry you up the stairs, and I'd rather we don't have to do that again. You're kind of heavier than you look."

"Yeah, I'd rather you didn't have to do that either," Artie said, straightening a pile of napkins. "Did you bring your gifts? I forgot to ask you what you got for Quinn and Rachel."

"Yeah, I put them under the tree," AJ said, pointing in the general direction of the Christmas tree. "I got you one too, so I can't tell you. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by it, though."

"Should I be scared?" Artie asked, stifling the grin that threatened to spread across his face. "I mean...I've heard about gifts you've given in the past."

"He loved that firefighter fundraising calendar," AJ said, sounding slightly miffed. "Martin loves everything I give him."

Artie looked away so he wouldn't burst out laughing. Martin had told him the story of the calendar several times, but it never got old. They still couldn't figure out how AJ ever came upon the idea of giving him that as a gift, but Artie suspected it had something to do with the fact that AJ had forgotten Martin's birthday and panicked at the last minute.

He was just about to change the subject, when Quinn came through the door.

"Sorry it took so long, all I wanted was crackers, and the person in front of me had 200 items, and no other tills were open. Hi AJ," she said, hanging her scarf on the coat rack. "They didn't have the ones I wanted, so I got some different ones. I also got a package of vegan...I don't even know what it is, for Rachel. I saw vegan on the label, and decided it would work. It was with the partyish foods, so I hope it's ok."

"I'm sure it's fine," Artie said, "and even if it's not...it's the thought that counts?"

Quinn grinned, planting a kiss on the top of his head. "AJ, can you go put some of these crackers on a plate? You know where the plates are, right?"

He nodded. "I've known where the plates are since the first time I ate food here. So...since the first time I was ever here."

Artie and Quinn exchanged a look, and Artie found himself looking away once again so he wouldn't burst out laughing.

"How long has he been here?" Quinn asked, rearranging the plates that AJ had lined up in some sort of attack formation around the food on the coffee table.

"Not long...fifteen minutes, maybe?" Artie moved closer to the table and started opening the vegan...whatever that Quinn had bought. "Rachel and Martin should be here soon. They just had to get something, or something. AJ wasn't really clear."

"Do you think it's weird that we're giving gifts from both of us?" Quinn asked, gesturing towards the tree. They had decided to pool their resources and get each person a nicer gift, rather than buying two separate, cheaper things.

"No, I think it's kind of hot," Artie said. "I mean...I think it's great."

Quinn laughed. "How is giving gifts together hot?"

He shrugged. "Everything to do with you is hot. As soon as you enter the equation, the answer immediately equals hot."

"You really know the way to a girl's heart, don't you?" Quinn said, grinning.

"Yeah, that's just how I roll," Artie said, grinning back.

Quinn was about to respond when she heard a crash in the kitchen, and a knock at the door.

"Ok, you get the door, I'll go check on the kitchen," Quinn said, getting up and hurrying down the hall. "He had to get a plate, how could that result in crashing?"

**

* * *

**

"Artie, thank you for inviting us to this post Christmas extravaganza," Rachel said, taking off her coat. "We were unsure if food was being provided, so we stopped and got a couple of things. I hope that's alright." She handed Artie a large bag from the organic grocery store. "Martin is on his way, he just had to get something that slid under the front seat of the car."

Artie looked out the door, to see Martin walking towards the house, several neatly-wrapped packages in his arms.

"Hey bro. Sorry...we lost a package under the driver's seat. Is AJ here?"

Artie grinned. "Yeah, he's in the kitchen with Quinn...she just went to do damage control."

"You let him in the kitchen? Alone?" Martin asked, a sly grin on his face. "Don't you know by now that's just asking for trouble?"

"He was supposed to get a plate for crackers. It's not rocket science!" Artie said, a look of slight bewilderment mixed with joy on his face. "And Rachel, thanks for bringing this stuff. We have some food, but you can never have too much, right?"

Rachel grinned. "Well, technically you can always have too much, but that is why they invented plastic containers for leftovers!"

Artie and Martin nodded in agreement. They went into the living room, and were joined a couple of seconds later by Quinn, a sheepish AJ in tow.

"I just thought it should be more decorative," AJ muttered, sitting down on the couch beside Martin. "How was I supposed to know that stuff was delicately balanced?"

Martin grinned. "I know, man. You couldn't have known."

Artie and Quinn exchanged a grin, as Martin patted AJ's shoulder.

"I am not exactly how this works," Rachel said, standing up, "as Christmas is not something I have had much experience with. Do we partake in this delicious luncheon now, and then exchange gifts, or is that something that is usually done simultaneously?"

Artie smiled. "I don't think there's any set way this has to go. We could do it...simultaneously, I guess."

"Oh wonderful!" Rachel said, moving to the tree and grabbing three neatly wrapped packages. "I do hope you don't mind that Martin and I have already exchanged gifts. We did that yesterday."

Artie nodded. "So did we. It's cool."

Rachel grinned, handing out the packages she had been holding. "Martin and I decided that we should combine our resources in order to be able to afford nicer gifts for each of you. I hope that is acceptable."

"Actually, we did that too," Quinn said. "We were wondering how you guys would feel about that."

"I pooled resources with...myself," AJ said, shrugging. "I'm kind of broke, but I think you guys will like what I got you."

Rachel watched, a look of pure excitement on her face, as everyone opened the gifts she and Martin had brought. She hoped that everyone liked what they had bought.

"THIS IS THE BEST SHIRT EVER," AJ said, immediately stripping off his shirt and putting on the "Mario Kart Rules My Life" t-shirt that Martin had selected for him. "AND THIS HAT? THIS IS THE GIFT THAT JUST KEEPS ON GIVING ALL YEAR LONG!"

Artie looked over at AJ, now outfitted in his t-shirt and hat with all the Mario Kart characters embroidered on it, and grinned. He grabbed his camera, and snapped a couple of pictures.

"This is great, you guys," Quinn said, fingering the soft fringe on the blanket they had given her. "Just what I need for when I'm lying in bed reading at night...so soft."

"We thought you might also find use for this blanket when you are partaking in movie-watching with Artie," Rachel said, her grin growing so wide that Quinn thought it might actually burst from her face. "I hope the colour is alright. Martin said it matched the scarf that Artie so lovingly made you for your Christmas present."

"It's perfect," Quinn said, getting up to hug Rachel, and then Martin.

"Artie, are you going to open your gift?" Rachel asked, moving closer to him.

He nodded. "I just thought I'd wait so not everyone was opening theirs at the same time."

Rachel was about to say something, when AJ cut in. "When you guys open mine you all need to open them at the same time."

Artie nodded, assuring AJ that they would, and then removed the paper from his gift.

"I was unsure if this would be a suitable gift for someone such as yourself," Rachel said, "but Martin assured me that it was definitely the right choice. I—we hope you like it. I would also be willing to take many pictures of you and Quinn so you can fill it if you don't have a suitable amount already. Martin said that your walls are very bare, and we thought this would help to make them less bare. He said that you made your mom a photo collage for Christmas, and that maybe you would want to have one of you and Quinn for yourself. He also said that he would help you hang it up, because he is of suitable height to reach as far up as your ceiling. And possibly even beyond that."

Artie grinned, looking at the large picture frame that Rachel had handed him. The frame came in four sections, each with about fifteen holes of various sizes and shapes to hold pictures, which could then be snapped together to make a very large photographic display.

"This is great, you guys. Thanks! I can't wait to fill it. And Rachel...we have some pictures, but we might need more. Can you take some of just Quinn?"

Quinn laughed, throwing her blanket at him. "What he means is, can you please take lots of pictures of BOTH of us so he can fill that?"

"I just don't like having my picture taken," Artie said, throwing the blanket back at her. "Everyone knows that!"

"This had crossed my mind," Rachel said, "but I thought since these would be pictures of you with Quinn, who is the love of your life, I am sure, that it would be alright."

Artie grinned again. "It's awesome. Thanks you guys. I can't wait for us to fill it!"

"Ok, enough of this mush," AJ cut in, standing up. "You should all open mine now. Remember...all at the same time."

As he handed out the gifts, Martin tried not to look amused. He had his suspicions as to what could be under the crudely taped paper, but he wasn't going to say anything before they had opened them.

AJ sat back down. "Ok, on the count of three. One...two...GO!"

Everyone pulled the paper off their gifts at the same time.

"Wow..." Artie said.

"This is..." Quinn didn't know what to say.

"Oh, my..." Rachel said, placing a hand before her mouth.

"Dude..." Martin said, the grin on his face threatening to turn into full blown laughter.

"What are you wearing?" Artie finally asked, avoiding eye contact with everyone but AJ.

"It's my James Bond tux," AJ said. "I wanted to give you guys a picture of me, and thought I should look nice. Have I ever told you that my middle name is Sean Connery? OH! And push the button on the back of the frame!"

Martin pressed the button, and the James Bond theme started blasting out of a small speaker at the back of the frame.

"Isn't that SO AWESOME?" AJ said, his grin growing wider and wider. "When I saw those I knew that there was nothing else I could ever get that would be as awesome as these. Do you guys like them?"

Quinn grinned. "AJ, this is great! I know just where I'm going to put it, too!"

Rachel nodded. "Giving pictures of oneself is a wonderful thing to do," she said, "I gave Martin several of myself as part of his Christmas gift, so that he will always have something to remember me by. And now, AJ, I have something to remember you by! This is especially nice, since we are friends now."

Martin and Artie both spoke at the same time, at which point Martin waved his hand at Artie, indicating that he should go first.

"This is the most original Christmas present I think I've ever seen," Artie said, "And so awesome. Where did you get these frames?"

AJ grinned. "They had them on sale at the game store. Something about huge overstock. I bought about ten of them. I thought maybe I could give my grandma one for her birthday. Sorry...not that I'm cheap and think you guys aren't worth more than some cheap sale frames...but I'm kind of broke, and it's the thought that counts, right?"

Artie grinned. "So awesome, man."

"And definitely a big step up from the firefighter calendar," Martin piped in, holding the frame in front of his face so AJ couldn't see that he was going to burst out laughing any second.

"That was a fundraiser!" AJ said, throwing a ball of wrapping paper at his friend. "I thought you wanted to help support the burn fund! I bought that in your name, and even made an extra $2 donation!"

"What is this about a firefighter calendar?" Rachel asked, looking confused.

Martin was about to say something, when AJ gave him a look that said "Tell her and my eyes will shoot lightning bolts into your soul."

"Oh, it's nothing," AJ said. "Have some food?"

Rachel nodded, accepting his change of topic. "I must say Quinn, this food is delicious! And thank you for making sure there were vegan-friendly options!"

Quinn grinned. "I know you'd do the same for anyone else," she said, getting up. "Here, let me get our gifts for you guys."

As she passed around the gifts, Quinn gestured to Artie, and he picked up his camera, snapping an assortment of pictures of the other three, and then several of her. She suspected most of them were of her from the back, and made a mental note to delete them later before he could do anything with them.

As she sat back down, Artie said "I hope you guys like this stuff!"

AJ was the first to get the paper off the package, despite the fact that Quinn had, purposefully, completely taped up all the seams. He had tried for a couple of seconds to remove some of the tape, before poking his finger through the paper, making a large hole.

"Oh. My. God." he said, staring at the box in his hands. "Where did you get these?"

Artie grinned. "I have connections, yo! People owe the A-Man favours all over the country."

Quinn swatted him. "What he means is that we got them at that little store in the mall."

Artie grinned. "Way to steal my thunder, woman. Way to be."

She smiled, getting up and wrapping her arms around him from behind. "Hate the player, not the game...yo?"

He grinned. "Best. Girlfriend. Ever."

She shrugged. "I try."

"You guys are spending WAY too much time together," AJ said, before turning his attention back to the set of Mario Kart coffee mugs in his hands. "Do you know now I'm going to have to either drink four cups of something at once so I can use all of these, make a system so they all get used, or get some friends?"

Martin grinned. "You have friends. And you drink like fifty cups of whatever while you're on one of your Mario Kart benders anyways, so I'm sure they'll all get used."

Quinn smiled, and watched as Rachel carefully removed the paper from her gift, making sure not to tear any of the corners.

"Oh Quinn, Artie, this is just fantastic!" She said, holding up the pale pink scarf covered in small, shiny gold stars. "As you know, gold stars are my favourite thing in the world, and this will match the watch that Martin gave me for Christmas perfectly!" She held up her arm, showing everyone the watch Martin had given her. It was, as Artie had suspected, a perfect match for the scarf.

"We thought you might like that," Quinn said, "and Artie knew about the watch, so we hoped it would match. Looks like it's perfect!"

Rachel grinned. "Martin, what have our two wonderful friends bestowed upon you?"

Martin smiled. "I was waiting until you're done."

As he removed the paper from his gift, his smile grew larger. "This is great, you guys...thanks! I've been wanting this for a while." He held the thick geology reference book in his hands, showing Rachel.

"I know you want to be a geologist," Artie said, "and I know you secretly look at that every time you go to the mall."

Martin grinned. "This is great. Everything is great. Thanks, you guys!"

Rachel piped up. "Yes, I must agree with Martin. Everything is fantastic! It is so nice to have friends to be around and do things with!"

After everyone had opened their gifts, they sat around for a couple of hours, eating and talking about pretty much everything, before Rachel announced that she had to be going because she had a lesson of some sort. Artie wasn't sure whether she said she was teaching the lesson or taking the lesson, but he was sad to see her go...even if he would probably never admit to anyone that he actually liked Rachel so much that the thought of her leaving when they were having a good time made him sad.

Martin stood up as well, announcing that he would drive her home, and AJ asked if he could get a ride, before deciding that he could walk, so he could help clean up.

"Don't worry about it, it's not much to clean...we can do it," Artie said. "Get a ride. It's too cold for walking home."

As the three left the house and climbed into Martin's car, Artie turned to Quinn.

"Well, I think that was a success."

She grinned. "I think that was more than a success."

"One thing though..." Artie trailed off.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"I don't think I'll ever look at James Bond the same again."

**A/N: I think this was one of the most fun to write out of everything I've written so far! **

**Just a reminder that, on Saturday, the QUARTIE FICATHON starts! Details can be found in the Quinn and Artie Forum, or you can PM me or Violet-Shadow for more details!**

**Even if you're not going to write for the ficathon, be sure to check out the prompts thread in the Forum...and post something that you want someone to write about! Remember...we can't write what you want if you don't tell us!**

**Also, I'm welcoming any ideas as to what Q and A should do for New Years. PM me or leave a review and let me know if there's something you want to see there!**


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